OVERVIEW

In this course it will be discussed issues concerning the psychological development, with particular reference to temperament and self-regulation.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to study issues relating to the psychological development of individual differences, with particular reference to selfregulation, understood as the set of processes designed to regulate the behavior, the emotions and the cognitive activities.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course allows:

• acquiring adequate knowledge and an effective ability to understand the self-regulatory processes;
• applying the acquired knowledge and to understand the developmental trajectories in the typical and atypical development;
• knowing how to use autonomously the knowledge acquired in the various application contexts on a conceptual and operational level;
• acquiring the typical technical language of the discipline to communicate clearly and unambiguously with specialists and non-specialist;
• acquiring adequate learning skills that allow continuing to deepen independently the main issues of the discipline.

TEACHING METHODS

The course will take place through lectures and opportunities for discussion, supplemented by individual exercise as follows: administration of questionnaire, analysis and summary of the responses (scoring),  brief discussion about results. The results about the different individual profiles will be also discussed in class.
At the end of the course there is an additional written exercise  modulated on the basis of the exam questions assigned in the state certification exam for Psychologist. The exercise will focus on the topics presented in the course, but the students should also integrate these with the knowledges previously achieved.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Different theoretical approaches that explain temperament and self-regulation will be introduced. A selection of contributions aimed at illustrating specific aspects related to the emotional and social development will be presented. During the course will be presented some questionnaires for the assessment of temperament. Students have to complete an exercise that will lead to discuss different temperamental profiles .

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

R.F. Baumeister, K.D. Vohs, Handbook of Self-Regulation: Research, Theory, and Applications (Paperback), Guilford Publications, 2007 (capp. da 1 a 4, da 13 a 18, più uno a scelta tra 19, 20, 21 o 22),
G. Axia, QUIT, Trento, Erickson, 2002.
O. Albanese, P. Molina, Lo sviluppo della comprensione delle emozioni e la sua valutazione, Milano, Unicopli, 2008.
M. Iacoboni (2009). Imitation, Empathy, and Mirror Neurons. Annu. Rev. Psychol., 60, 653–70.
M. Iacoboni, M. Dapretto (2006). The mirror neuron system and the consequences of its dysfunction. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 7:942–51
M.D. Lewis, R.M. Todd (2007). The self-regulating brain: Cortical-subcortical feedback and the development of intelligent action. Cognitive Development, 22, 406–430

A book chosen among the following:
J. Bowlby, Costruzione e rottura dei legami affettivi, Milano, Raffaello Cortina, 1982.
J. Dunn, L’amicizia tra bambini, Milano, Raffaello Cortina, 2006.
S. Lecce, E. Cavallini, A. Pagnin, La teoria della mente nell’arco di vita, Bologna, Il Mulino, 2010.
R. Plomin, Natura ed esperienza, Milano, Raffaello Cortina, 1998.
V. Reddy, Cosa passa per la testa di un bambino, Milano, Raffaello Cortina, 2010.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

MARIA CARMEN USAI (President)

PAOLA VITERBORI

MIRELLA ZANOBINI

LESSONS

Class schedule

DEVELOPMENT OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral examination. Before taking the exam, students will have to prepare a critical summary of a scientific article in English language about the course contents. The article must be found independently and must be previously submitted to the teacher. The essay must be loaded in Aulaweb 15 days before the exam.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The oral examination allows to assess the theoretical knowledges acquired and the ability to read the individual profiles from the questionnaire on temperament compiled by parents, other familiars or teachers. The essay allows to assess the understanding of a scientific paper.

Exam schedule